Iran news in brief, February 27, 2019

Iran news in brief, February 27, 2019

Rally in Front of UN Headquarters in Geneva Condemns Human Rights Violations in Iran

As the United Nations Human Rights Council convenes to hold its 40th session at the international body’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, a large crowd of Iranian dissidents gathered to protest flagrant human rights violations and terrorism of the Iranian regime.

The demonstration, held at the Place des Nations, calls for the ouster of the Iranian regime from the United Nations and the recognition of the Iranian Resistance, symbolized in the National Council of Resistance of Iran, as the legitimate representative and voice of the Iranian people.

Iran: Retirees Rallying Outside the Mullahs' Majlis (Parliament)

Retired government employees, along with retired military personnel, rallied on Tuesday outside the regime’s Majlis in Tehran, the capital of Iran, protesting poor living conditions, discrimination and the violation of their rights. These retirees have long been demanding the mullahs’ regime provide the pensions they are entitled to under law.

The protesting retirees were holding signs reading: “Enough with cruelty, we have nothing to eat”

They were also heard chanting: “Our paychecks are in rials, our expenses are in dollars”, “No nation has witnessed such injustice”, “Our pain is your pain; people, join us and unite”.

Iranian Official: Livestock Meat Exports to Neighboring Countries Have Increased by 300%

Hossein Raghfar, an economist with close ties to the Iranian regime acknowledged that while the people of Iran are struggling with their most basic needs, regime officials and institutions are making profits in questionable ways.

“The president boasts about a 300-percent increase in meat exports in one month while it is the basic needs of the people like meat and livestock that are being exported to other countries,” Raghfar said.

Raghfar added: “Products that were imported remained in warehouses because the people’s purchasing power has diminished. Now they’re being exported to other countries at higher prices.”

Raghfar also alluded to the corruption of regime officials by saying, “The state mafia, especially the members of the Chamber of Commerce of Tehran have sold these products to other countries under the label of exports.”

Iran Bans Newspaper Over Article on Assad Trip

Iran on Tuesday banned reformist newspaper Ghanoon for publishing an article about a meeting between Iran's supreme leader and visiting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

"Ghanoon daily has received notification and its publication has been halted due to its (front page) headline on Tuesday," ISNA said.

The order stating that Ghanoon would be "temporarily banned" was delivered to the paper's management by Tehran's culture and media court, it added, without saying how long the ban would remain in place.